Benjamin Franklin [1766
House a written message to this purpose: ‘that his
Majesty, being highly sensible of the zeal and vigor
with which his faithful subjects in North America
had exerted themselves, in defence of his Majesty's
just rights and possessions, recommend it to the
House to take the same into consideration, and enable
him to give them a proper compensation.” You will
find those messages on your own journals every year
of the war to the very last; and you did accordingly
give two hundred thousand pounds annually to the
crown, to be distributed in such compensation to the
colonies.
This is the strongest of all proofs, that the colonies,
far from being unwilling to bear a share of the burden,
did exceed their proportion; for if they had done less,
or had only equalled their proportion, there would
have been no room or reason for compensation. Indeed,
 the sums reimbursed them were by no means
adequate to the expense they incurred beyond their
proportion; but they never murmured at that. They
esteemed their sovereign’s approbation of their zeal
and fidelity, and the approbation of this House, far
beyond any other kind of compensation; therefore
there was no occasion for this act, to force money
from a willing people. They had not refused giving
money for the purposes of the act; no requisition
had been made: they were always willing and ready
to do what could reasonably be expected from them,
and in this light they wish to be considered.
Q. But suppose Great Britain should be engaged
in a war in Europe, would North America contribute
to the support of it?

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